Category: Bags

December 2, 2015

Bag Boys…

Hero designs are those that fill multiple purposes and still manage to look the dog’s wobblies each time.

Like the Model M bag, hot on my personal wish list for a top totty present.

Made from fashion-flex – a posh name for a proprietary polymer (your guess is as good as mine) it’s resilient, lightweight and equally at home in the urban jungle or on a sun-drenched beach.

Those living in the States are laughing – it’s a mere frugal designer $120 dollars for you – which somehow translates into £125 for us Brits if you buy from Liberty London.

Might be worth doing the transatlantic shipping cost maths…..or dropping a note to Santa and his sleigh….

Laters, Kate x

October 9, 2015

Shockingly Shrimp..

How does Shrimp, the fashion label by young London designer, Hannah Weiland, which burst onto the scene in 2013 move on from it’s neon flashing faux fur flying out there outerwear start?

By adding more great, distinctive designs and gently expanding into accessories and ready to wear.

It’s still for the forward thinking customer with a taste for the fun in fashion.

(All pictures from Shrimp)

But sometimes more is more when you’re onto a good thing.

Laters, Kate x

October 5, 2015

Another Garde x

One of the great joys from this daily ritual of Blogging are the people you meet, drawn together from across the world through the magic of the internet and the love of great design. It’s how I met Soumountha – a very funny, fearless and edgy French-Lao-mum-to-3-kids-slash-blogger-and-entrepreneur who’s been looking for the perfect vehicle to focus her creative high energy, because Soumountha is a tigress with a deep motherlove who knows that to feed herself spiritually she needs that creative outlet. And now, with a perfectly executed flying kick, she has leapt into the fray with her own online boutique for emerging fashion brands: Another Garde. I wanted to know more…so we in between her hectic schedule we sat down, dressed in our imaginary finest with the perfect bottle of virtual wine to cut to the chase on the latest about her new fashion baby…

I’m so excited you’ve opened your own online boutique! I looove you’re style – so tell me, Soumountha, do you have an imaginary woman you’re selling to?

Yes. She is the unflappable woman. I like to describe her as ‘a complex, witty, mature, free and confident woman who breaks ceilings and kicks out of boxes, screams and smiles, has chipped nails and remains elegant and wonderfully modern.’ I like to think that she is owning her imperfections with inner and quiet confidence and a ‘so what?’ attitude.

What do you think she would she eat for breakfast…and where??

She would probably not eat anything for breakfast because she hardly had the time to comb her hair, but then would have a hearty omelette and a cappuccino – her strong espresso days are behind her – around 10.30am. She would eat this at work or at her local bodega trying to sort out the beautiful mess that is her life with her IPhone…hahahaha! I’m getting deja vu!

What did you look for in your emerging designer’s?

That’s a tough one. It is a very complex process that includes both tangible and less tangible factors.

Another Garde wants to develop partnerships with brands that are interested in releasing styles throughout the year – just like we are doing with our private label, Another Garde. The designers, Enda (Enda.us) and Moses Nadel (mosesnadel.com) on our site fall also into this category. The biggest challenge is to stand out in the crowd and I feel that as a group, we increase our chances of success if we leverage our resources and collectivize our risks etc. So being a team player is a key aspect of being part of Another Garde 🙂

That does not mean that we do not work with brands that are operating within the Fashion calendar – some brands are too amazing not to work with.

So more generally I think –

– their aesthetic needs to hang well with other designers’ viewpoint. I do favor a somewhat unaffected elegance, feminine and feminist silhouettes, great details and finishes, and minimalist cuts.

– I like designers who have an acute understanding of who they are and who they are not and what it is they are saying to the world. Schai (schaischai.com), a brand that we will soon feature on our site, is a universe in itself . You get drawn into it through her designs but also her words, her imagery, her story and her personality. The moment I set my eyes on her creations I fell in love full stop. She is also a pretty kick ass woman #swoon

– I love designers who are creative and resourceful from a marketing perspective to a design development perspective. For example, I have been stalking Linie (linienyc.com) for a while now because the designer is excelling at zero waste pattern making.

– And last but not least, I only work with designers who share our values when it comes to mature and confident women i.e. Designers who celebrate these women’s needs, their achievements and aspirations and understand what ageing with grace means and requires. In short, there is an underlying feminism behind what we do at Another Garde so I would probably not work with creatives who do not get it. (At this point I have to stand up and applaud..woah! woah! woah! finally!)

How did you find your designers? can anyone approach you?

We are doing a lot of scouting to find brands and also get referrals so YES anyone can approach me soumountha@anothergarde.com

The fashion industry is notoriously tough – do you think the young/new designer of today has the time to learn the ropes of this industry or are they, with the level of competition out there, expected to hit the ground both perfectly formed and running?

Because it is such a competitive industry, I feel that there is a general acceptance that there are more and more valid and legitimate journeys to own and run a label: from launching your first collection straight after fashion school to having a full time design job in a major house while experimenting with your label on the side to returning to work for an established company, if your label is struggling or relying on private orders only.

However, from the customer perspective, mistakes are not easily forgiven. It is competitive out there and it is so important to build trust with your clientele. My take away so far is this: make less creations but make them perfect for the people who really matter to you.

So my answer is yes designers have the time ,if they take this valuable time and develop A, B and C plans in their overall journey as creatives. At the end of the day, you are a creative and there is no lesser way of being one.

Do you see yourself as a mentor?

Since we are releasing our own collection for the first time, I see myself more as a peer who is experiencing the same journey as some of the other designers on our site: handling cash flow challenges, weighing the pros and cons of bypassing the fashion calendar (on a daily basis but still sticking to my guts for now), going through the ups and downs of collection design and development etc.

Having our own collection is our way to walk the talk but this has also become a truly humbling experience. We are just another brand working hard at finding our women.

Because I want to do my best at articulating partner designers’ vision to our target customers, I do ask a lot of questions. I hope these questions do help them to think hard about their brand, their positioning, their pricing, how they produce and sell etc.

Whose wardrobe do you lust over?

Phoebe Philo. Clean lines, feminine and masculine silhouettes, chic tonal palette; it is never boring but most importantly it ALWAYS authentic. There is a quiet rebellious character in her wardrobe.

And she is British, so that’s the icing on the cake 🙂

You’re based in New York..Will you be shipping internationally?

It’s something we’re hoping to introduce very soon – watch this space!

(All Photography by Carolina Palmgren, Styling is Another Garde)

What’s the last thing you bought…and why?

The Zoe dress by Brooklyn-based Swedish designer H.Fredriksson (Hfredriksson.com) (pictured above) who works with sustainable fabrics and creates very modern and perfect silhouettes for women like me who are trying to come to terms with the various changes in their bodies. All her prints come from her personal drawings and paints. Zoe’s print is a special one because it is a drawing from her late husband who passed away before or during collection development. I was already in love with the dress but when I learnt about the heartache and strength behind the creation I just had to buy it. Helena has kids so this has really touched me: I just cannot imagine what she has been through. Every time I wear it, I feel her strength.

As we feel yours Soumountha! This pocket rocket warrior woman is fighting the couture clash with her flair for the international all beautifully moulded together by the wit and gristle of the streets of New York City and personally…I love it! Go Soumountha!

Laters, Kate x

September 22, 2015

Burberry Prorsum x

Black, gold, beige, military detail, crested insignias, gold buttons and gold chains, all the stalwarts of the power dressing nineties were rejuvenated in Burberry SS16..but with the gas turned to subtle.

The detailing was beautiful and showed the collaboration between Christopher Bailey and Hand & Lock, the British manufacturer that makes accessories for the Queen’s Horse Guards to perfection. It underlined the exciting mix of Bailey’s continuing relationship with heritage, heritage materials and British manufacturing.

But step away from the title, look at the colour palette, the materials, the coats..the footwear…and this could be a fall show.

The inner layers maybe light and airy, but the outer’s are ready for a turn in temperature downwards.

But then Bailey is one of the few designers to openly agree that the seasons, as a fashion concept, are over. He’s already embracing the quick marriage of shows and ecommerce whereby clothes can be seen on the runway, bought with a click and delivered within weeks, forcing forward the pace of production.

(Charlie would love these shoes).

(And the macho-feminine lace).

The bags..the rucksack with it’s monogrammed initials..

(All pics from Vogue.com)

And this one will be on many lists of lust because Christopher Bailey is clever, he doesn’t produce warm coats associated with badgers and large dogs. His aim is for urban, edgy brand carriers – it’s easy wear, ruthlessly recognisable luxury put on a pedestal that we can all pay homage to.

It’s slick fashion candy to prove taste and money..but for me, it’s lost a bit of heart.

Too easy? Should that be a problem?

Laters, Kate x

August 14, 2015

Hot to trot..

If I had the bucks to blow on a bonny beach bag, Sophie Anderson would be my label of lust.

Full of easy wear, just don’t care boho charm.

Just enough space for the Missoni towel, ray bans and that little bit of x factor…So good..why just limit it to the beach?

Laters, Kate x

July 21, 2015

Jane Birkin and her bag x

Iconic, ironic and rather wonderful…..

Laters, Kate x

July 9, 2015

Bummer Bag x

Bumbags got a bad rep in the eighties. I can’t think why.

The nineties weren’t much better..

But away from the neon and laughter, there’s a functional aesthetic desperate to get out. I have the bag in this picture – it’s by Hipstersforsisters – and it’s a true, top totty wonder. With it’s chain, it can be unclipped and turned into a crossbody, or removed entirely to transform into a clutch. A slam-dunk three-in-one-no-brainer.

Now I’m after something a bit bigger, in brown leather with more pockets to carry passport, phone…and cash..to take to Greece. I’ve left it a bit late in the day, but I’m hoping I’ll still find something…

without having to raid the last penny of the piggy bank for this Row bag sadly costing more than the holiday!

Laters, Kate x

June 24, 2015

Wool and the Gang x

Wool and the Gang was born to find the best way to produce fashion..namely by hand…your hands..(or if you’re really nervous..someone else’s)

It’s a quirky, sustainable reaction to the fast fashions of our generation that says stop, think..and make something special that lasts whilst reducing stress and improving dexterity.

You can either purchase complete kits to make yourself..or a separate price is given for a ready made item where you can support fellow ‘Gangsta’s’ by buying their handmade pieces.

There’s different levels for various abilities..and options for men, children and the home too…even crochet.

Wool is a favourite yarn, but they also work with fashion factories to repurpose their fashion waste into new yarns to reduce landfill.

Clever eh?

It was founded by three women: Designers Aurelie Popper and Jade Harwood met while studying textile design at Central Saint Martins in London, after which they went onto work at Alexander McQueen and Balmain. Third member is Elisabeith Sabrier, former model, world traveller and yarn lover.

It’s the kind of stuff you you really want to make.

And now there’s no excuse..

Laters, Kate x

May 21, 2015

Bags of room..

Another summer 2015 obsession..finding a large, bright yellow shopping tote in soft, malleable leather..the type of bag you fill with all the detritus the sweet summer heralds..sun tan lotion, cotton scarves, umbrellas, sunnies, flip-flops..a picnic to feed the 5,000…a vat of gin..

This one by is top of the picks so far..by Modalu, hand cut and stitched in Somerset by highly skilled artisans it justifies it’s over three hundred pound price tag..but….it’s hard leather..and I can’t justify the expense as I want to change it..but that deep blue interior..mwhahaa!

The inspiration is Anya Hindmarch’s new 2015 sticker bag which is pure giggle and wink.

In homage, I’ve been collecting various patches (do you call them patches??) to make my own.

I just need the bag in a sensible price bracket – why’s it so hard to find a very simple leather bag like this..but in yellow?..you wait..next year the shops will be full of the buggers..until then, the hunt continues..

Laters, Kate x

March 13, 2015

Bag of tricks x

Valentino is Maria Callas singing Casta Dive from Norma, at sunset on the cliff tops of Cinque Terre. It’s where the magic happens…(and it rips my heart out that Jean Paul Gaultier got their first…)

How unrepentantly this dazzles and drips with impeccably luxury..it’s exclusive enough to buy a true designer handbag..how very, very to buy a matching skirt as well..and what a stroke of genius to create the art of illusion between them, the designs responding to context with no limits to the possibilities.